Bach - Trio Sonatas - Chandos: CHAN0654 - CD or download

'Too good to be left only to organists' is how Richard Boothby cheekily describes Bach's six delightful 'organ trios', in which the organist's two hands play one of the upper lines each, while... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 1st May 2000
Catalogue No: CHAN0654
Label: Chandos
Series: Chaconne
Length: 72 minutes

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Bach, J S: Trio Sonata No. 1 in E flat major, BWV525

Work length13:11

$3.00

$3.60

Purcell Quartet

I. [Allegro]

Track length2:37

$1.00

$1.20

II. Adagio

Track length6:41

$1.00

$1.20

III. Allegro

Track length3:53

$1.00

$1.20

Bach, J S: Trio Sonata No. 2 in C minor, BWV526

Work length10:22

$3.00

$3.60

Purcell Quartet

I. Vivace

Track length3:32

$1.00

$1.20

II. Largo

Track length2:53

$1.00

$1.20

III. Allegro

Track length3:57

$1.00

$1.20

Bach, J S: Trio Sonata No. 3 in D minor, BWV527

Work length13:20

$3.00

$3.60

Purcell Quartet

I. Andante

Track length4:31

$1.00

$1.20

II. Adagio e dolce

Track length4:55

$1.00

$1.20

III. Vivace

Track length3:54

$1.00

$1.20

Bach, J S: Trio Sonata No. 4 in E minor, BWV528

Work length8:59

$3.00

$3.60

Purcell Quartet

I. Adagio - Vivace

Track length2:26

$1.00

$1.20

II. Andante

Track length3:53

$1.00

$1.20

III. Un poc' Allegro

Track length2:40

$1.00

$1.20

Bach, J S: Trio Sonata No. 5 in C major, BWV529

Work length13:15

$3.00

$3.60

Purcell Quartet

I. Allegro

Track length4:52

$1.00

$1.20

II. Largo

Track length4:54

$1.00

$1.20

III. Allegro

Track length3:29

$1.00

$1.20

Bach, J S: Trio Sonata No. 6 in G major, BWV530

Work length13:26

$3.00

$3.60

Purcell Quartet

I. Vivace

Track length3:42

$1.00

$1.20

II. Lento

Track length6:19

$1.00

$1.20

III. Allegro

Track length3:25

$1.00

$1.20

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

'Too good to be left only to organists' is how Richard Boothby cheekily describes Bach's six delightful 'organ trios', in which the organist's two hands play one of the upper lines each, while the bass is played on the pedals. Such is the integrity of this texture in Bach's writing that transferral of this music to a 'true' trio sonata line-up of two melody instruments and continuo is a relatively simple and satisfactory task, and there seems to have been no shortage in recent years of musicians who would agree with Boothby to the point of making their own arrangements for various small ensembles. On disc, these have often served as filler items. Recordings of all six are rarer.
Boothby's arrangements for the Purcell Quartet differ from the others currently available in involving no wind instruments. He shows considerable imagination, however, in convincingly varying the scoring between just two violins, viola da gamba and harpsichord, transferring the melodic line to his own viola da gamba whenever the tessitura demands in some movements, making it a full-blown partner in the dialogue in others, and also awarding the harpsichord a melodic role in BWV530.
Typically for the Purcell Quartet, the performances offer a sweet sound and a clarity of texture which is all to the good in such intricately and ingeniously contrapuntal music. Generally speaking, however, these performances are enjoyable for their lightness and tenderness (try the slow movement of BWV529). If you want something livelier, and do not necessarily require all six sonatas, you may just favour the Palladian Ensemble's characteristically alert recording of four of them on Linn (see below).

Bach - Trio Sonatas

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